Poem
Bongekile Joyce Mbanjwa
A MARK
What kind of beauty do you have?What kind of honey do you have?
What kind of fish hook do you have?
A fish hook which does not come back empty handed
You bring darkness like the night
You visit big and small houses
And leave a mark behind
A mark that does not have gender
A mark that does not have age
A mark that has no wealthy person
A mark that does not have an educated person
You collect until a heart pains
And the stomach pains and is sleepy
Knees get weak; the mouth dries out my father’s children
And see earth closing on us
Closing on us leaving us dumb
People have turned mute
People have turned blind
There are a lot of grandfathers
There are a lot of grandmothers
We are like monkeys
No one can claim to be strangled
To enjoy pleasure it’s over
Dreams are gone
Life is gone
It has disappeared like smoke from papers
© Translation: 2008, Siphiwe ka Ngwenya
From: Izinhlungu Zomphefumula
Publisher: Botsotso, Johannesburg, 2008
From: Izinhlungu Zomphefumula
Publisher: Botsotso, Johannesburg, 2008
UPHAWU
UPHAWU
Unabuphi ubuhle na?Unaluphi uju na?
Unaluphi udobo na?
Udobo olungabuyi lulambatha
Ufika nobumnyama okobusuku
Ungen’imizi nemizana
Ushiye uphawu ngemumva
Uphawu olungenabulili
Uphawu olungenaminyaka
Uphawu olungenasigwili
Uphawu olungenasifundiswa
Uqoqa kuqaqambe inhliziyo
Kulume isisu kozele
Kuxeg’amadolo kom’umlomo bantakababa
Ubon’umhlab’usigubuzela
Usigubuzela kuphele ukwazi
Abantu baphenduk’izithuli
Abantu baphenduk’izimpumputhe
Kwand’amaxhegu
Kwand’amaxhegukazi
Sesahlala sizichitshana okwezikawu
Akekho ongathi ubanjwe ngesidlovana
Ukulubela ubumnandi kuphelile
Amaphupho ashabalele
Impilo ishabalele
Ishabalalise okwentuthu yamaphepha
© 2008, Bongekile Joyce Mbangwa
From: Izinhlungu Zomphefumula
Publisher: Botsotso, Johannesburg
From: Izinhlungu Zomphefumula
Publisher: Botsotso, Johannesburg
Poems
Poems of Bongekile Joyce Mbanjwa
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A MARK
What kind of beauty do you have?What kind of honey do you have?
What kind of fish hook do you have?
A fish hook which does not come back empty handed
You bring darkness like the night
You visit big and small houses
And leave a mark behind
A mark that does not have gender
A mark that does not have age
A mark that has no wealthy person
A mark that does not have an educated person
You collect until a heart pains
And the stomach pains and is sleepy
Knees get weak; the mouth dries out my father’s children
And see earth closing on us
Closing on us leaving us dumb
People have turned mute
People have turned blind
There are a lot of grandfathers
There are a lot of grandmothers
We are like monkeys
No one can claim to be strangled
To enjoy pleasure it’s over
Dreams are gone
Life is gone
It has disappeared like smoke from papers
© 2008, Siphiwe ka Ngwenya
From: Izinhlungu Zomphefumula
Publisher: 2008, Botsotso, Johannesburg
From: Izinhlungu Zomphefumula
Publisher: 2008, Botsotso, Johannesburg
A MARK
What kind of beauty do you have?What kind of honey do you have?
What kind of fish hook do you have?
A fish hook which does not come back empty handed
You bring darkness like the night
You visit big and small houses
And leave a mark behind
A mark that does not have gender
A mark that does not have age
A mark that has no wealthy person
A mark that does not have an educated person
You collect until a heart pains
And the stomach pains and is sleepy
Knees get weak; the mouth dries out my father’s children
And see earth closing on us
Closing on us leaving us dumb
People have turned mute
People have turned blind
There are a lot of grandfathers
There are a lot of grandmothers
We are like monkeys
No one can claim to be strangled
To enjoy pleasure it’s over
Dreams are gone
Life is gone
It has disappeared like smoke from papers
© 2008, Siphiwe ka Ngwenya
From: Izinhlungu Zomphefumula
Publisher: 2008, Botsotso, Johannesburg
From: Izinhlungu Zomphefumula
Publisher: 2008, Botsotso, Johannesburg
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